As crash preliminary report nears, Air India jet's fuel switches in focus
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A preliminary report into the deadly crash of an Air India jetliner in June is expected to be released by Friday, three sources with knowledge of the matter said, with one adding the probe had narrowed its focus to the movement of the plane's fuel control switches.
The London-bound Boeing (BA.N) 787 Dreamliner, which started losing height after reaching an altitude of 650 feet, crashed moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and the rest on the ground.
The investigation into the Air India crash is focusing on the movement of the engine fuel control switches following an analysis of the 787's flight and voice data recorders, along with a simulation by Boeing of the aircraft's final moments, one of the sources said.
The investigation has not raised any immediate concerns over mechanical failure, the source said, and there has been no bulletin to airlines recommending changes to 787 operations.
Boeing declined to comment.
Aviation industry publication The Air Current first reported the focus on the fuel switches that help power the plane's two engines.
It was not clear what specific actions involving the fuel switches are being looked at by investigators.
Sources told the Air Current that the available information on the black boxes could not rule in or out improper, inadvertent, or intentional actions that preceded or followed the apparent loss of thrust before the aircraft crashed.
US aviation safety expert John Cox said a pilot would not be able to accidentally move the fuel switches that feed the engines. "You can't bump them and they move," he said.
Cox added that if a switch were shut off, the effect would be almost immediate, cutting off engine power.
Read: Regulators warned Air India Express about delay on Airbus engine fix
Most air crashes are caused by multiple factors. The investigation is focusing at least partly on engine thrust, Reuters reported last month.
While the report from Indian investigators could be made public on Friday, the three sources cautioned Reuters that plans could change and there was no clarity on how much information would be available in the document, which comes about 30 days after the June 12 tragedy.
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.
India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, which is leading the probe under international rules, did not respond immediately to a request for comment outside normal business hours.
Information release
The probe has been dogged by questions over a lack of information, after investigators took about two weeks to download flight recorder data after the crash. The Indian government held only one press conference on the incident, and no questions were taken.
However, India reversed course on an earlier decision reported by Reuters to prevent a UN aviation investigator from joining the probe, two senior sources said.
A specialist from the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) was granted observer status, following an unusual request by the agency to offer its support.
ICAO declined to comment, adding in a statement that any public discussion of "cooperative arrangements" would require authorisation by the state.
The crash is challenging the Tata Group's ambitious campaign to restore Air India's reputation and revamp its fleet, after taking the carrier over from the government in 2022.
India is banking on a boom in aviation to support wider development goals, with New Delhi saying it wants India to be a job-creating global aviation hub along the lines of Dubai, which currently handles much of the country's international traffic.
A panel of Indian lawmakers will review safety in the country's civil aviation sector and has invited several industry and government officials to answer questions on Wednesday, with topics set to include the recent plane crash.
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Listen to article Fifteen years ago, on July 28, 2010, Airblue Flight 202 tragically crashed into Islamabad's Margalla Hills, taking the lives of 152 individuals, including my father. For those of us who lost loved ones that day, the pain remains raw. We remember the passengers and crew who boarded that flight with dreams and plans, only for it to end in devastation. The question that has haunted us since remains: what has Pakistan done to ensure such tragedies never happen again? The answer today, thankfully, is more hopeful than it has been in the past. The years following the Airblue crash saw a series of aviation disasters, each serving as a grim reminder of systemic failures. From Bhoja Air's crash in 2012 to PIA's in Havelian in 2016, and more recently, the Air India runway overshoot in 2024 that made international headlines, the aviation world has had painful lessons. The United States has its own spate of recent aviation challenges. However, in Pakistan, we haven't seen a major aviation disaster in the last few years. For this, appropriate credit must be given. Globally, the Boeing 737 Max tragedies raised awareness about flight safety and the dangers of cutting corners. These incidents, along with others, remind us why oversight, transparency and strong safety cultures matter. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal noted that flying has become safer overall: in 2023, as many as 17 people died for every billion passengers flown, down from 50 the year before. That's real progress, driven by a culture of learning from mistakes without assigning blame — so people can report problems early and fix them before something goes wrong. It's not clear if Pakistan has adopted this mindset. Let us not mistake a break in accidents for lasting safety. The absence of crashes doesn't mean the job is done. If history has taught us anything, it's that complacency is the enemy of progress. Just a few years ago, we learned that nearly one-third of pilots in Pakistan had fake licences. That wasn't just embarrassing — it was dangerous. Some of those pilots flew for years. How was this possible? What's changed to make sure it never happens again? Fixing aviation isn't just about technology — it's about leadership. Systems and rules are only as strong as the people who enforce them. Those who run Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority must hold airlines, pilots and regulators to the highest standards. Safety checks should be routine, honest, and shared with the public. Investigations must be fair and free from pressure. We also can't forget the families. Too often, they're treated like afterthoughts — waiting months for death certificates, or struggling to get answers. We need to do better. From grief counseling to clear legal support, the system should make space for compassion, not confusion. I now serve as the mayor of Saratoga, California, a small city of 31,000 people my father once chose as home. He came here hoping for a better life for his children. I've come to see firsthand how complex government can be, even at the local level. Writing smart policy, enforcing it fairly, and making government work is hard. But it matters. My father's death, caused in part by government failure, is what drives my belief in what government can — and must — do when it's done right. It's not easy, but no one ever said it should be. Fifteen years without my father has been a lifetime of grief, but also of reflection. When I think about how far we've come, I find cautious optimism. But optimism must be coupled with action. The absence of recent crashes is not a reason to relax — it's a reason to stay alert. Let Pakistan's safety gains be a foundation to build on, not a reason to sit back. As we remember the lives lost on Airblue Flight 202 and all the tragedies that followed, let this anniversary be not just a day of mourning, but a call to action. May the next 15 years bring not only the absence of crashes, but also the presence of excellence in every aspect of Pakistan's aviation industry!
